Ang Lee and Spielberg are two guys who play to the Oscar committees and have become darlings of sorts. Even crap like Warhorse gets more recognition from the Oscar committee than real works of art. I honestly think that a movie's cinematography, soundtrack and the solemness of its material areprobably the biggest drivers for oscar nominations. If you're gonna pick 10, I find it hard to believe that Looper doesn't get a nomination or a best original screenplay nod (though not surprising).

I haven't seen Zero Dark Thirty. I know that Ebert gave it only three stars recently, criticizing it for being too much for focussing on the capture of OBL rather than the politics of the middle east. I think I will be checking it out. If Biggelow didn't get a Best Director nomination, then that probably means the movie doesn't win Best Picture (same with Django).

I dont agree with Ebert's review. The film is about the hunt for Bin Laden, not the politics of the Middle East. It goes through a nearly decade long process of how they finally caught him.

Other criticism I have read about the film was the portrayal of torture in the movie. A lot of the experts that were behind the effort to capture Bin Laden said torture had almost nothing to do with catching him. I dont know if that is a "covering their ass" comment, or a legit criticism. Its still a really good movie regardless.

Regarding Bigelow, her ex Cameron said when she was nominated for "The Hurt Locker" that the award was soon to be hers because she was a woman. So maybe there is still a bit of lingering feeling about her award last time, warranted or not.

Add to that the field day the press is having with the possibility that the torture portrayed in the movie did not lead to the courier in real life, and the misrepresentation they feel about it. Even UK papers like the Guardian are going at it tooth and nail. Then again one of the Canadian diplomats who sheltered the Americans during the Iran 79 mess just died last week, and his son went on the say that the events portrayed in "Argo" made little mention of his fathers real contribution, really distorting history and events.

For those north of the border and maybe places elsewhere, just wanted to add DVD screeners are available for most of these flicks through torrents, as we're all tuxedo wearers and members of the academy on these boards anyway.

Edited by Sask66 on 01-10-13 04:30 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

I also haven't watched the usual number of movies this year as I have in the past years. The Dark Knight Rises getting SO is a surprise. I thought Moonrise Kingdom was great, it too got SO. I saw Bernie and Ted, two separate films of course. Shut out, too, if I am correct. ( Me senses a trend here )

I also haven't watched the usual number of movies this year as I have in the past years. The Dark Knight Rises getting SO is a surprise. I thought Moonrise Kingdom was great, it too got SO. I saw Bernie and Ted, two separate films of course. Shut out, too, if I am correct. ( Me senses a trend here )

Ted got a nom for Best Song, Moonrise Kingdom for Original Screenplay I think.

I've heard rave reviews about Jack Black's performance in Bernie so I'm shocked he got snubbed. He did get a Golden Globe nom though.

Also did Meryl Streep take a year off? She's nominated damn near every year.

The Master is one of those films which has most/all of the main actors nominated but not for Best Picture.

One can go to a site and find all the winners of past and find some interesting stats. If I remember Network won all the acting awards but not Best Picture. Cabaret won a boat load but not Best Picture. I go to an Oscar Party for the past ten years or so and I do a quiz which is too esoteric for the crowd. I do get them every year with this question: What year was Philadelphia nominated and or won for Best Picture?

Howard Stern has invited Lena Dunham onto his radio show, by way of an apology, after calling her "a little fat girl."

Stern made cracks about the "Girls" star/creator on his Sirius-XM broadcast last week, calling her a "camera hog" and "a little fat girl who kind of looks like Jonah Hill." Dunham insisted she was unfazed by his remarks, telling talk show host David Letterman, "I did find out that Howard Stern really hates ['Girls']. I'm a Howard Stern fan, and I really think that he has earned the right to free speech and he should just go for it."

However, Stern's opinion on the series has changed, and he now wants to make peace with Dunham, who won a Golden Globe on Sunday for Best Television Series - Comedy of Musical, and Best Performance by an Actress - Comedy of Musical. On Monday, he said on-air, "I felt bad because I really do love the show 'Girls' and enjoy it, and I admire the girl who writes it ... so I said to [producer Gary Dell'Abate], 'Would you please contact Lena Dunham and please tell her that I would like to explain myself to her on the air and apologize to her?' Because I do love the show and it makes me feel bad that she is getting the impression that I somehow think she's just a talentless, little fat chick.

"It took me a while to get there and all of the sudden I went, 'This show's really, really funny. I like it.' I kind of just started liking the show. And I've done a whole 360 (sic) on the show and I really admire the girl who writes it, and I actually like when she comes on camera ... I'm a superfan now. I really love it. I almost went to the premiere the other night."

I expect to play every day. That's our job. You go out there every day and contribute in some way.

this doesnt totally add up. Howard has seen the show prior to the Golden Globes. He specifically mentioned the show in his criticism and said something about her constant nudity being akin to rape (for the viewer) and that Dunham was a camera hog who would not share the screen with her colleagues. So, somebody got to Howard and got him to change his mind, and it wasnt the show.